Isaiah 36:6

36:6 Egypt . . . is completely unreliable: Isaiah argued the same case, pointing to the Lord as the only reliable source of help (31:1-3, 7; 39:7). • A kind of reed that breaks easily grows near the Nile (see Ezek 29:6-7).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Satan labored to pull the godly King from one vain confidence to another: to wit, from trust in the Egyptians, whose power was weak and would deceive them, to yield himself to the Assyrians, and so not to hope for any help of God.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

It was a similar alliance with So (that is, Sabacho, or else Sevechus), the Ethiopian king of Egypt, which provoked the Assyrian to invade and destroy Israel, the northern kingdom, under Hoshea.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 6. The staff of this broken reed] A weakened, faithless ally.

On Egypt] The Bodl. MS. adds מלך melech, the king of Egypt; and so perhaps the Chaldee might read.

It will go into his hand, and pierce it] Will take subsidy after subsidy, and do nothing for it.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

6. the staff of this broken reed] For the idea, cf. ch. Isa_30:1-5; for the figure, Eze_29:6-7.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Lo, thou trustest in the staff of this broken reed, on Egypt,.... His ally and auxiliary; and which is rightly called "the staff of a broken reed", if trusted to, and leaned upon, being weak and frail, and an insufficient ground of confidence to depend upon; the allusion seems to be to the cane or reed which grew upon the banks of the river Nile, in Egypt:

whereon if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it; the splinters of the broken reed being leaned on, will enter into a man's hand, and do him harm, instead of being a help to him to walk with:

so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all that trust in him; pernicious and harmful, instead of being useful and helpful.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Lo, thou trustest - It is possible that Sennacherib might have been apprised of the attempt which had been made by the Jews to secure the cooperation of Egypt (see the notes at Isa 30:1-7; Isa 31:1 ff), though he might not have been aware that the negotiation was unsuccessful.

In the staff of this broken reed - The same comparison of Egypt with a broken reed, or a reed which broke while they were trusting to it, occurs in Eze 29:6-7. Reeds were doubtless used often for staves, as they are now. They are light and hollow, with long joints. The idea here is, that as a slender reed would break when a man leaned on it, and would pierce his hand, so it would be with Egypt. Their reliance would give way, and their trusting to Egypt would be attended with injury to themselves (compare Isa 30:5, Isa 30:7; Isa 31:3).

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

6. And he in effect continues: “What height of folly in you to trust in this broken reed, Egypt. Leaning on such a staff is only to be pierced by it. Pharaoh has ever proved false to those who have depended on him. He is a reed staff that first pierces, then breaks. His first essays of resistance are daring and sharp, but they soon yield in very weakness.” This may have been conceived by this Assyrian leader as about to follow in the invasion soon to be made upon Egypt by Sennacherib.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

This broken reed; rather, as in 2Ki_18:21, this bruised reed. (comp. Isa_42:3) A reed may be "bruised," and wholly untrustworthy as a support, while it appears sound. A "broken" reed no one would lean on. Egypt. There had been times when Egypt was a strong power, feared and respected by her neighbours, and a terror even to Assyria. But these times were long past. For the last fifty years the country had been divided against itself, (see the comment on Isa_19:2) split up into a number of petty principalities, Recently the neighbouring kingdom of Ethiopia had claimed and exercised a species of sovereignty over the entire Nile valley, while allowing tributary princes to govern different portions of it. Of these princes the most important at the time of Rabshakeh"s embassy seems to have been Shabatok, who reigned in Memphis, probably from B.C. 712 to B.C. 698. Egypt is likened to a "bruised reed" on account of her untrustworthincss. "So" (Sabaco) had given no substantial help to Hashes. Shabatok was little likely to imperil himself in order to assist Hezekiah. Even Tirhakah would probably avoid, as long as he could, a conflict with the full power of Assyria. Pharaoh, King of Egypt. Sennacherib uses the generic term, "Pharaoh," instead of mentioning any of the petty princes by name, because he means to speak generally. The King of Egypt, under present circumstances, whoever he may be, is no better than a bruised reed. In his own inscriptions, Sennacherib about this time uses the expression, "the kings of Egypt" ("Eponym Canon," p. 133, 1.47).

HOMILIES BY W.M. STATHAM Ver. 6. The broken staff.

"Lo, thou trustest in the staff of this broken reed, in Egypt; whereon if a man lean, it will go into his hand, and pierce it." Man must lean. He is constituted to rest on some object outside himself, and it would be a wise though painful study to review the false resting-places of the human heart. Egypt stands in the Scripture for the world outside God its pleasure, its skill, its science, its entire wealth of means and appliances. For Egypt was once the repository of the world"s wealth, and skill, and science, and beauty, and glory.

I THIS IS HISTORICAL TRUTH. How eagerly the Jews turned from the true God to idols! Their life was dishonoured during a long part of their history by idolatry, for which they were punished by captivities, and against which they were warned by prophets. Still they rebelled against God, and vexed and grieved his Holy Spirit. Delivered from Egypt and its slaveries and wrongs, as their fathers were, they yet turned in heart to all that was represented by Egypt.

II THIS IS SYMOBLIC TRUTH. Men lean still on reeds, that in time become broken reeds. They trust in wealth, friendship, fortune; and these at last give way, and the reed pierces them to the heart. This is the story often told of the world"s disappointed conditions broken health and lost fortunes. Having no God to turn to, men are left desolate and deserted in the hour when heart and flesh faint and fail. We see all this in Byron and Shelley, and in the "Midases" of the world, who love wealth and all that wealth can bring. Nothing in the world answers to the deep necessities of man"s immortal nature, and the "rest under the shadow of Egypt" is not broad and deep enough for the soul of man.

III THIS IS SURPRISING TRUTH. "Lo!" we may well exclaim. Is this world a lunatic asylum, alter all, full of men and women who have lost the fine balances of judgment? or is it a blind asylum, where they have lost the clear vision of truth? After all the records of observation and of history, has it come to this that each succeeding generation takes up the old lie and forsakes the living God? Even now and here, where the Saviour says, "Come unto me and rest," how many seek "rest" out of God! Some find human love itself a broken reed, and in their hours of sad discovery turn cynical and despairing, whilst to others friendship itself has proved superficial and fickle. There are many who have drawn out the broken reed, and dressed the wound as well as they may; but it remains unhealed. What they really want is the balm of Gilead and. the great Physician of souls. W.M.S.

Treacherous trusts.

The arrogant language of Rabshakeh was full enough of falsehood, but it had one grain of truth. Egypt was but a broken reed on which to lean, and any trust reposed in its aid would be attended with disaster and humiliation. The imagery which is here used is forcible enough, and it admirably describes the character and the consequences of an ill-founded confidence. Of these treacherous trusts are

I OUR OWN UNDERSTANDING.

1. We are expressly warned of God not to lean on this. (Pro_3:5)

2. Our known weakness, our incapacity to penetrate the hearts of men and to foresee the issue of events, our liability to make deplorable and ruinous mistakes, this should teach us to forbear.

3. And the many lamentable instances, recorded in histories and witnessed by our own eyes, of the evil consequences of men trusting to their own sagacity, should also dissuade and deter us.

II HUMAN FRIENDSHIPS. The language of Scripture on this subject is remarkably, is significantly, strong. (Jer_17:5) When we consider how often it has happened, as the consequence of human insufficiency, not only that men have failed to secure what they were expecting, but that they have been thereby plunged into the deepest distress and even into irremediable ruin; that to use the image of Rabshakeh the staff has not only broken under them, but pierced the hand that leant on it; we may well feel that this scriptural language is not a whir too strong. Human friendship breaks down and wounds us by its fracture,

(1) through the limitations of our faculty;

(2) through inconstancy, and even treachery;

(3) through moral or spiritual shipwreck.

III TEMPORAL ADVANTAGES. Riches, rank, official position and the power it confers, these are things on which we are prone to place reliance. But woe unto the man who has no firmer ground on which to build! In the day of his calamity, in the hour of bereavement, in the time of desolation, in the hour of death, those things will fail him; and to have trusted in any or in all of them, to the negligence of a hope that is surer than they, will add unspeakable bitterness to the sense of failure and of need. The broken reed will pierce the hand that holds it.

Only in a Divine Saviour, whose wisdom will never be found wanting, whose faithfulness will never fail, whose power to succour and befriend in the saddest sorrows and darkest hours will continually suffice only in him will be round the support which "cannot be broken." "Our God is a Rock;" and blessed is the man who rests all the weight of his joy and of his hope on his inviolable word, on his irrefragable power. C.

Satire on our human confidences.

Evidently the Rabshakeh was informed concerning the parties that divided the people of Jerusalem at this time. Hezekiah seems to have been so far persuaded as to give his reluctant assent to sending the embassy to Egypt. The complaints which Sennacherib had to make against Hezekiah were

(1) that he had refused tribute; (2Ki_18:14)

(2) that he had opened negotiations with Babylon and Egypt, (2Ki_18:24) with a view to an alliance against Assyria;

(3) that he had helped the Philistines of Ekron to rise against their king. The second of these is dealt with in this verse. The Rabshakeh satirizes the helplessness of Egypt, likening that nation to a cracked, not broken, reed, which breaks suddenly, and pierces the hand of him who leans hard on it as a supporting staff. The keenness of the satire lies in the truth of it. Of the hopelessness of leaning on Egypt Isaiah had already warned the people. (Isa_30:7, see the true reading) Egypt, in relation to Israel, is the type of the human confidences to which men turn so readily in their distress, forgetful of the Divine confidence in which alone they can be secure.

I THE SATIRE OF GOD"S MINISTERS. Illustrate from the Prophet Isaiah, who dealt so vigorously with this trusting to Egypt. Sometimes he gave serious and solemn warnings; sometimes grave reproaches; and sometimes keen criticism and biting satire, as if he would shame them into giving up the foolish and hopeless scheme. He put the character of Egypt into a word, almost an offensive word. Cheyne suggests that he wrote this word Rahab, "utter indolence," "helpless inaction," in large characters, and set it up in a public place. That was his idea of Egypt. So, still, Christian ministers must not hesitate to wither up men"s self-trusting and man-trusting with the keenest satire. It is a fair weapon for destroying self-confidences.

II THE SATIRE OF RIVALS. Such was the satire of Assyria, through its Rabshakeh. At this time Babylon, Assyria, and Egypt were each seeking the alliance of Judah, and the jealousy of the one that did not succeed found expression in descriptions of the one that did. We can often get some self-knowledge through the things our rivals say of us in the bitterness of their disappointment. It is often surprising, it should be always helpful, to "see oursel"s as ithers see us.

III THE SATIRE OF EVENTS. Ridiculous indeed was the help Egypt afforded to Judah. The strength of Egypt at this time was one of appearance only. Egypt never has been a country that could be relied on. It did not save Judah. Its alliance only hurried on the fate of Judah. The cracked reed broke, and pierced the hand. "Experience is a dear school, but fools will learn in no other." The logic of events soon shows up the folly of all confidences in man. Impress, in conclusion, from the figures of the very striking passage, Jer_17:5-8. R.T.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

“Behold, thou hast trusted in the staff (or support) of this broken reed, in Egypt, which, (if) a man lean upon it, will go into his hand and pierce it; so is Pharaoh king of Egypt to all those trusting in him.” He answers his own question. The charge of relying upon Egypt may be regarded either as a true one, or as a malicious fabrication, or as a mere inference from the analogy of other cases and the habitual relation of the parties. Egypt may be called a broken reed, either as being always weak, or in allusion to what it had already suffered from Assyria. Broken does not mean entirely divided, but so bruised or shattered as to yield no firm support but rather to do injury. (See Isa 42:3 below).

Joseph Addison Alexander, The Prophecies of Isaiah (1846–1847; New York: Scribner, 1870–1878) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

General Information:

This continues the king of Assyria's message to Hezekiah. The chief commander is speaking the message to Hezekiah's men. (See: Isaiah 36:4-5)

Look

Sennacherib uses this word to draw Hezekiah's attention to what he says next. AT: "Listen"

trusting in Egypt

Here "Egypt" refers to the Egyptian army. AT: "trusting in the Egyptian army" (See: Metonymy)

that splintered reed that you use as a walking staff, but if a man leans on it, it will stick into his hand and pierce it

This speaks of Egypt, specifically its army and its Pharaoh, as if it were a splintered reed to emphasize that relying on them would not help them but would only harm them. AT: "that is like walking with a splintered reed for a staff. If a man leans on it, it will stick into his hand and pierce it" (See: Metaphor)

splintered reed

A reed is the long, thin stem of a plant like tall grass. If it is splintered or damaged it cannot carry any weight.

walking staff

This is a stick that someone would use for support when walking, made of whatever kind of tree limb that is found along the way.

is not he the one whose high places and altars Hezekiah has taken away ... Jerusalem"?

The king of Assyria uses this question to ridicule the people and to imply that Yahweh was angry about what Hezekiah did and would not protect them. This rhetorical question can be translated as a statement. AT: "he is the one whose high places and altars Hezekiah has taken away ... Jerusalem." or "he is the one whom Hezekiah insulted by tearing down his high places and altars ... Jerusalem." (See: Rhetorical Question and Assumed Knowledge and Implicit Information)

has said to Judah and to Jerusalem, "You must worship before this altar in Jerusalem"?

This can be written as an indirect quote. "Judah" and "Jerusalem" refer to the people who live in them. AT: "has told the people of Judah and Jerusalem that they must worship only at this altar in Jerusalem." (See: Direct and Indirect Quotations and Metonymy)

translationWords

trust

Egypt

hand

Pharaoh

king

Yahweh

God

altar

Hezekiah

Judah

Jerusalem

worship

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

upon which a man will lean On the splintered and broken reed, and the scaly envelopes enter his palm and puncture it, so is Pharaoh to those who trust him. Eventually, their aid will be to their detriment.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.